2014 Ford Fusion Energi Titanium sedan

Nov 10, 2014

Reviewed By

Erin Olson

Price as Tested

$42,485; 2.0L IVCT I4 HEV

Likes

This is a classically good-looking car, inside and out. All buttons, knobs and screens were very usable, which seems like a no-brainer, but there’s a big difference between having knobs, buttons and screens and having knobs, buttons and screens that all do what I think they should when I want them to. Plus, I can be a touch, shall we say, resistant to change, but I was able to quickly acclimate to the Fusion’s setup. I also appreciated the smoothness of the Fusion Energi. There was a distinctive lack of lurch — that unfortunate characteristic of so many hybrid vehicles.

Dislikes

Do a little exercise with me. Summon all your righteous indignation and outrage. Doesn’t matter what about. Global warming, your favorite sports team that just can’t seem to get it together, whatever. Now imagine you’ve just opened the trunk of this seemingly normal sedan expecting to find some trunk space. No. No trunk space for you. Sure you can fit a couple bags of groceries, maybe some miniature golf clubs, but forget about picking your parents up at the airport. Those suitcases are going in the back seat. Yes, I get it — there’s a big fancy battery in there. But I take my trunk space very seriously, and this trunk is seriously disappointing. On a related note, the acceleration was almost as disappointing as the trunk space.

Verdict

I liked the Fusion Energi. It was an attractive, comfortable car for people who want to go a long way. Frequently. With very little stuff. If you can justify the up-front cost (which is not for the faint of heart or light of wallet), then drive the dickens out of this thing for the next ten years, and it will probably all turn out just fine. The manufacturer promises $6,750 savings on fuel costs over five years (estimating 15,000 miles/year at $3.50/gallon). With my lifestyle, however, the car (or I) would die before those savings came anywhere near offsetting premium.

Get the SCM Newsletter

Sign up for a free weekly insider's report on the collector car market — and get a free gift.

Almost done! Confirm your subscription with the email in your inbox.

We use MailChimp as our marketing automation platform. By clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be transferred to MailChimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms.